Improvement in washing-machines



H. C. PERRY. I Washing-Machine.

No 211,667. Patente-d Jan, 28,1879.

UNITED s-EATES PATENT @Frio-E,

, HENRY o. PERRY, or WILKESBARRE, rENNsYLvANiA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,667., dated January 28, 1879; application filed November 13, 1 878.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY C. PERRY, of Vilkesbarre, in theicounty of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im'pravements in Washing- Machines and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention belongs to that class of clothes-washing devices whereby the cleansing is done by a pounding` mechanism.

It consists in a pounder composed of au open hopper, provided with a removable cap or lid and a corrugated or recessed bottom plate, having openings or perforations leading into an air-chamber, which is provided with an automatic valve, the said pounder being attached, with capability of a vertical movement, to a slotted standard and corrugated base, and operated as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 is a cross vertical section, and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views, of my invention.

a is the base, having its upper surface corrugated or channeled, as shown, and made of such size as to adapt it to be set in a tub or other vessel, a. Aflixed to one side of the base a is the vertical standard b, in which is formed the vertical slot b', and to the upper end of which is attached the horizontal arms b2, which project over the base a. c is a windlass supported on the axle c', journaled in the arms b2, and operated by a suitable lever or crank, b3. The windlass is operated by a forward and reverse movement, by which the pounder, hereinafter described, is raised or dropped. The axle c is extended outward, as shown, as a matter of convenience, to bring the crank b3 nearer to the hand of the operator.

Afxed to the windlass cis one end of a flexible strap or belt, d, the opposite end of which is affixed to the lid or cap of the pounder.

e is the pounder, composed of the hopper c1 and the bottom plate, e2, so united as to provide an air-chamber, e3, between them. The hopper el is open at its top, and is provided with a removable lid, e4, to Which the end of the strap d is axed. The lid ci, when placed in the hopper, is held rigidly in place by a pin, j', passing over it and through the sides of said hopper, as shown.

On the rear side of the hopper there is fixed the guide-block g, which projects through the slot b1, and holds the pounder to the standard b. The pounder, by meansof the block g, is maintained in its position over the base a, and is given-steadiness and regularity inY its verti cal movements thereby. l

The plate c2 has its under side corrugated or recessed, as shown, and is perforated by a series of openings, h, which go through into the air-chamber c3. The air-chamber is provided with an outlet, hl, over which is placed an automatic valve, h2.

The object of the hopper el is to give'faciliA ties for increasing the weight of the pounder by placing therein stones, metal weights, or other suitable material, according to the chari acter or dirtiness of the goods to be Washed.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. The pounder is lifted by the windlass c and strap d, and is then permitted to drop of its own gravity onto the goods 011 the base a. The descent of the pounder forces the air out of the chamber c3 through the valveopening 71,1. The raising of the pounder closes the opening h1 by the valve h2, and thus proa vides the necessary suction to lift the clothing and keep the latter moving in the tub a.

I do not confine myself to the particular means described for lifting the pounder-K2 namely, the windlass and strapdfor it will be readily understood th at the same may be lifted by a lever made after the manner of an ordi nary pump-handle fulcrumed on the arms b2, and provided with a rod or pitman connecting With the lid e4.

l prefer to use the means described, as thereby Isecure more even results attended with little or no noise other than the movement of the pounder'in the water.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A gravity clothes-pounder, e, constructed with a hopper, el, and perforated bottom plate, e, arranged so as to provide an air-chamber, e3, between them, and having the valve-opening h1 and valve h2, and supported and operated so that it is given a vertical movement into and out of the vessel containing the clothing to he Washed, substantially as set forth.

2. 'Ihe combination ,with the gravity-p ounder 4 e, having the block g, of the base a, standard b, having slot b1, and arms b2, windlass `c, and flexible strap d, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereto afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

i HENRY C. PERRY. Witnesses:

E. J. ULMAN, EvAN JONES. 

